Jan 1, 2015

Happy New Year everyone!! Welcome to 2015, I wanted to do a special solo podcast to start off the beginning of the year. I wanted to wrap up what happened in 2014 and to talk about things coming down the pipeline for 2015.

The podcast has been performing really well, the number of downloads since October are incredibly high and I’m grateful to those of you who are listening!  The podcast has, as of today, 2682 downloads or listens.  The show is averaging about 220 downloads a week or 31 downloads a day!  That’s awesome!!  I love doing it and I’ll keep on forging ahead with getting more incredible interviews lined up for you to get inspired from in 2015.

Podcasting is super fun and more work than anticipated!

For both the 20 questions episode and the in-depth interview it takes:

• 30 minutes of pitching and scheduling podcast guests

• 1 hour of guest research for compiling interesting, specific and valuable questions

• 1.5 hours of recording the 20 Questions and in-depth interview

• 1.5 hours of editing and producing the MP3 audio clip

• 1 hour of writing show notes, uploading them and the MP3 to host and website

• 30 minutes of scheduling social media posts to Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest

That equals about 6 hours per 2 podcasts, the quick 20 questions and the in-depth interviews!!

I really need to shorten that amount of time and I plan to as I get better with my systems!

Podcasting gives me a platform to connect with so many kick a** lady blacksmiths that are rockin’ it as a blacksmithing business.  There is a big handmade movement that is happening in the US which is priming the platform for blacksmiths to sell. And I feel so fortunate to put a spotlight on blacksmithing and the peeps who are doing it.

Pheremone February – this is the month where I will interview dude blacksmiths!  For the love month, the Valentine month the passion month!  So far I have two interviews in the bag for this month, they are Jim Garrett if Nimba Anvils and Randy McDaniel, one that is scheduled with Tim Cisneros and working on getting confirmation from Terry Clark and Claudio Bottero (this one will be interesting if it happens because it will need a translator).   So fire up your ear hairs to listen to some yarns being spun in the month of February from some of your favorite gentlemen blacksmiths!

Sponsors - In order for me to keep delivering the podcasts and website content, I have brought on one sponsor and I will be looking for more businesses to sponsor the show in 2015.  A sponsor is a business that will pay to get in front of my audience…I record a thank you to the sponsor and talk a little about their products and services in the beginning and end of each podcast.  I also post links to their websites in Facebook and Twitter intermittently throughout the week of that particular podcast. But first thing’s first, my priority is YOU and to offer you valuable resources and content through the interviews and not to bog you down with needless advertisements that mean nothing to you!  My goal is to build trust with you, so I will only accept sponsorships that will add value to you and be a benefit specifically to blacksmithing.  Sponsors that we can all benefit and learn from.  Every sponsor I accept will be personally vetted by me because I want to offer you the best and the most honest products or services.   Either I have used their products or services or I personally know someone that I trust who has used the product or service.  I look forward to offering you some good products and services for you to learn about.

Website:

The Website stats are great too, growing every day, there are people from all around the world visiting the site!  I’m hoping to improve on the article page…to contribute more useful blog content there, I admit that is one of my weaknesses, sooo, I’m starting a new project for the article page called the Blazing BlacksmitHER.  I thought that I can’t possibly interview each and every lady blacksmith that is out there (well maybe I can for years to come!) but in the meantime I’d like to spotlight you and your story on the Blog.  Let’s share our stories on the blacksmitHER Blog and find strength in numbers while sharing common interests in blacksmithing, art, metal and tooling. 

It will be super easy – soon there will be a box that says “Calling all lady blacksmiths” or “The Blazing BlacksmitHER Entry” on the website home page, Resource page and Article page to click on and it will bring you to a super easy and short form to fill out with your story,  just fill out the form (link) and I’ll do the rest (edit and post it on the Article page)!  I really believe we are all superstars, whether you are a beginner blacksmith, hobby blacksmith or professional blacksmith, you are Rockin’ it!  Show us, and fill out the form…..pretty please!  These are the questions on the form:

• Where in the world are you located, nothing specific, just the general area
• how did you get started in blacksmithing? 
• What do you enjoy the most about blacksmithing? What is the worst thing about blacksmithing?
• What is your favorite blacksmithing technique?  Even if you are beginner, what do you enjoy doing the most?
• Do you have a favorite tool?
• Do you belong to a blacksmithing association?

The BlacksmitHER Social media sites are growing in numbers too!  You can find us on Facebook, Twitter which is @blacksmithervic and on Pinterest under BlacksmitHER, I’ve got 5 boards

• BlacksmitHER Art – forged pieces cone by lady blacksmiths

• Tantalizing Tools – all kinds of blacksmithing tools, some are totally outrageous and would never be used

• Blacksmithing Books

• To Do’s board – any calls for art entries and blacksmithing jobs that come across my desk

• BlacksmitHER Podcast Interviews – a board with all of the pictures of my guests

I have some ideas that I hope to roll out in 2015 and I would really appreciate your advice on these things, so look for an email from me that might have a form or survey to fill out and hopefully I can bring more attention to the world of blacksmithing and offer more valuable resources to you.